Assessing Skills Gap In Ready-To-Wear Garments And Second- Hand Clothing: A Study Of Local Dressmakers In Naval, Biliran For Skills Development In Rtw

Abstract

Dressmakers can use their creative abilities to propose something unique in the apparel sector. They tend to produce new ideas or improve past designs to create something new with their fashion lines. This study assessed the skills gap in ready-to- wear garments in secondhand clothing of local dressmakers at Naval, Biliran, as the basis for skills development in RTW for local dressmakers. The study also explores the demographic profiles of the group respondents as to age and gender, civil status, employment status, and combined monthly income. The researchers used the descriptive research method to gather information about the respondents' demographic profile and the status in ready-to-wear secondhand clothing as to the following core competencies: drafting and cutting patterns for casual apparel, preparing and cutting materials for casual apparel, sewing casual apparel, and applying finishing touches on casual apparel. The data obtained were analyzed using percentage, weighted mean, and correlation with 0.05 significance level. Based on the findings, the skills on the core competencies in dressmaking of the local dressmakers show a positive response. However, regarding knowledge of different fashions, it was perceived that local dressmakers needed to be more knowledgeable. This poses a challenging threat to the local dressmaker community since the first step in creating a new design is knowing the current fashion and making a new design to meet customers' expectations and needs. Recognizing the impact of these results makes it very important to provide appropriate support to our local dressmakers.